After being voted in by her peers as the new President of the Rhode Island Senate last Tuesday, Valarie Lawson took a moment to reflect on her historic rise to one of the loftiest political positions in the state, pay respects to the man and mentor she succeeded, highlight some of the state’s priority issues ahead, and face an early critique; the kind that may often accompany her new status in the Rhode Island political sphere.

Questions from The Post are in bold, with Lawson’s answers below. Some answers have been edited for clarity or brevity.

When you first got elected to the Rhode Island Senate in 2018, did you ever envision becoming Senate President? Was it all part of a long-term plan? How did you get to this position?

My ultimate goal was to get elected in 2018. No grand scheme and no I would have never predicted it. I’m honored to represent my constituents through the work around policy that is important to all of us…I think I’m somebody who does the work and that’s sort of how the progression began. I think that's what we all do. I was fortunate that the Senate President was very good to me, gave me an opportunity and was always there to help myself and others and took me into his leadership team.

What did the late Dominick Ruggerio mean to you as a mentor, and what was special about the way he performed the role?

I think at the end of the day, Donny Ruggerio was just a special person who cared about people, his constituents, and he was genuine. That’s how he treated people in everyday life and in the Senate chamber — being respectful, and appreciating the process and the responsibility. I think there’s something to be said for that…I think from a whole public persona he was under-appreciated; those skills and qualities. He wasn't somebody who wanted to be in the limelight, so he just did the work as well. I certainly think that way of approaching the job is beneficial to everyone there.

Now you’re the Senate President. How will you lead the Chamber?

I've had a couple of these conversations over the last couple of days, and I think I'm a process person. I believe in hearing from everybody, knowing all the facts, being mindful, doing due diligence, and that's sort of my approach because when I make a decision, I want it to be educated, and I want to have the ability to say this is why I made this decision. And that's my responsibility. That's on me.

What are some of the state’s top priorities you see ahead of the Senate in the coming months before the end of the legislative session?

A big focus of the Senate is the health care crisis, as well as housing. Those are issues of importance to all of us. And the budget is something we're going to have to grapple with too, as well…Things are tightening up. The federal money is gone and there's a lot of need here. And who knows what's happening at the federal level. So those sort of things, collectively, are going to have to be addressed.

What about the assault weapons legislation you have co-sponsored, will that get passed before the end of the session?

The assault weapons ban is going to go through the process. It will be heard, I think, the 13th of May on our side. And it takes both chambers. So, I haven't had any conversations beyond that process yet, but that certainly will happen.

You’ve faced some early criticism from those who say your position as President of the National Education Association of Rhode Island (NEARI), a large and influential teachers’ union, could become a conflict of interest. Will you step down from that position?

I will continue.

Why?

So it's a concern of every member serving in the chamber, right? Rhode Island is a part-time legislature. We all come in with day jobs and family relationships that create potential conflicts. So throughout my process up here, I've always done my due diligence, [taken] guidance from legal council, the ethics commission, and I will do that as I continue in this role…After somebody submits a bill, it goes to a committee. It goes through that process as well, right? And the committee chair and the members weigh in on that. And if it's a direct conflict for me — practically everybody in the chamber at some point in time has had to recuse. If that's the case and that poses itself, I shall do that.

Do you think being president of a union poses an image problem in a state where the public is already highly cynical about political corruption among its political leaders?

I understand that. So in a world where we have a part-time legislature, the value is that as people bring their everyday experiences into the room, that's what we have here. So, whether you're a lawyer dealing with bills that have to do with the legal profession, police, real estate agents to deal with housing bills, health care professionals that deal with health care. Those issues arise for everyone. Bankers and the financial institutions or insurance, right? All of those exist, and I have mine. I’m one of 38 people in that room that have a potential conflict.

What is your overall outlook on the state and its position moving forward in the near and long-term future?

At the end of the day, I think it's best that we we try and be optimistic, but realistic at the same time that this is a very difficult time. And so we need to be prepared to address that and be ready.

Does it benefit East Providence in any particularly meaningful way to have a Townie as the leader of the Rhode Island Senate?

We have great senators and representatives from East Providence. It’s helpful that we're part of that conversation, right? And I'm always going to be there to do the best that I can for those constituents in my state. It's all intertwined, from my perspective. What’s good for East Providence is good for Rhode Island.